MWEB Uncapped Wireless: The details
MWEB recently launched their uncapped wireless broadband services aimed at the small and medium sized business market, complementing their uncapped business ADSL offerings.
MWEB Business said that three options will be offered – 512kbps, 1024kbps and 4096kbps – priced at R1299, R1999 and R2795 respectively.
Technology
MWEB is using Alvarion’s BreezeACCESS product for their uncapped wireless solutions. This is an industrial grade wireless product to provide outdoor Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) which offers enhanced security and capacity as well as QoS for data, voice and video services.
MWEB is currently utilizing the license-exempt 5 GHz frequency band for last mile access and backhaul purposes, but Roman Hogh, head of technology and product strategy at MWEB Business, said that backhaul transmission links will be upgraded to high frequency, licensed spectrum microwave links in future.
The company currently has six active sites – in Sandton, Boksburg, Isando and Midrand in Johannesburg and N1 City and Cape Town CBD in Cape Town – and another three sites will be added soon. Hogh pointed out that more sites will be rolled out if needed to address demand for these services.
Complementing current business ADSL services
The new MWEB uncapped wireless offerings provide subscribers with true unshaped and uncapped bandwidth, similar to the MWEB Uncapped Business ADSL services. There is also no fair use policy associated with this service.
Apart from users who can not get access to ADSL, the new wireless offering from MWEB offers an alternative – or backup – to other expensive fixed line business connectivity options like Diginet.
No consumer offering in sight
Bad news for residential customers without ADSL is that MWEB has no immediate plans to offer a low-cost version of its wireless service to the consumer market.
One of the main reasons is simple economics: The wireless CPE equipment costs between R2500 and R3500 depending on the speed, and with the added R4000 for the Cisco router and installation charges a total setup cost of around R8000 must be recovered over a 12 month contract period (around R670 per month).
While it can be done cheaper – using cheaper and less flexible equipment – it would be a risk for MWEB to offer a service where performance and overall quality of service may be hampered by equipment.
MWEB however pointed out that consumers who reside in areas which are covered are welcome to apply for the business product if they can afford it.
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